The Association of Having a Late Dinner or Bedtime Snack and Skipping Breakfast with Overweight in Japanese Women

• Published in: Journal of obesity Vol. 2019; no. 2019; pp. 1 - 5
• Main Authors: Yamada, Keiko, Muraki, Isao, Imano, Hironori, Okada, Chika, Iso, Hiroyasu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01.01.2019; Hindawi; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Body mass index; Employment; Food habits; Health care; Health insurance; Hypertension; Hypotheses; Life expectancy; Meals; Metabolism; Middle age; Nutrition research; Obesity; Questionnaires; Sleep; Snack foods; Surveys; Thermogenesis; Women; Japan
• ISSN: 2090-0708; 2090-0716
• DOI: 10.1155/2019/2439571

Background. We aimed to assess the association of habitually eating in the late evening and skipping breakfast with the prevalence of overweight/obesity. Methods. A total of 19,687 Japanese women, aged 40–74 years, were asked about their height, weight, and habitual eating behaviors such as having a late dinner and a bedtime snack and skipping breakfast, using a self-administered questionnaire. We defined overweight/obesity as body mass index greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2. Results. Among the participants, 11% regularly had a late dinner, 22% had bedtime snacks, and 8% skipped breakfast. After adjusting for age, exercise, smoking, sleep duration, and employment, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of skipping breakfast were 2.47 (2.18–2.81) for having a late dinner and 1.71 (1.53–1.91) for having a bedtime snack. These eating behaviors were associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity: the multivariable-adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of obesity/overweight were 1.43 (1.27–1.62) for having a late dinner, 1.47 (1.34–1.62) for having a bedtime snack, and 1.23 (1.06–1.42) for skipping breakfast. Conclusions. Japanese women who consumed late dinners or bedtime snacks were more likely to skip breakfast. Having a late dinner or bedtime snack was associated with a higher probability of overweight/obesity.